Tag Archives: Ed Schultz

June 4, 2013 · 6:57 AM

What Really Went Wrong For MSNBC, And How To Really Fix It

To paraphrase a famous quote: The reports of MSNBC’s demise are greatly exaggerated.  

We’ve seen this before, but in reverse.  Last fall, MSNBC was beating Fox News in certain demographics.  Ratings go up and down and with that thought, there’s no doubt in my mind that MSNBC is here to stay…period.

Mediaite

There has been a lot of virtual ink devoted to the two months of dismal ratings that MSNBC has just endured, some of it sincere, some of it concern-trolling, and much of it tinged with Schadenfreude. There has even been talk that the network might never recover, at least not unless it abandons its Lean Forward identity. In order to figure out how to fix MSNBC’s problems, you have to understand what went wrong in the first place, and you have to actually want the network to thrive.

Before I even start, and more importantly, before any of you even start, let me set the record straight: I hate everything about TV ratings. I hate writing about them, reading about them, and I especially hate getting PR pitches about them. ratings are a terrible way to measure quality, especially in news programming, there are a million ways to slice and dice them, and just looking at them gives me a headache. This is not an invitation for you to email me about how your show is #1 with carpentry aficionados age 63-97. My concern for ratings is confined to their effect on whether I can continue watching programming that I enjoy.

That’s why I took notice when Salon‘s Alex Pareene, in an otherwise excellent column, suggested that MSNBC’s bad stretch has put the network’s progressive-leaning orbit into fatal decay. Are the ratings really that bad?

Well, they are pretty bad, from what I can see, and as Pareene notes, lots of people are taking this opportunity to beat up on All In host Chris Hayes. The launch of the former Up star’s 8 pm show just happened to coincide with an extended series of news cycles that played to rivals CNN and Fox News’ strengths, along with the climax of the HLN-owned-and-operated Jodi Arias trial. Here’s how Pareene describes it:

Meanwhile, CNN’s been given gift after gift by whichever minor demons are responsible for the creation of cable news stories. The channel’s new Zucker-approved softer focus and lack of dignity allowed it to capitalize on Jodi Arias nearly as much as its trashy sister station HLN did. The Boston bombings were a perfect CNN story, even if CNN botched the hell out of its coverage. The Dzhokhar Tsarnaev manhunt was precisely the sort of story that makes people go through their channel guides trying to remember which one CNN is. And then there was the West, Texas, explosion. CNN capitalized on all of this because CNN’s brand is “breaking news.” Fox capitalized because there are simply a whole bunch of people out there whose TVs are tuned to Fox basically all the time. MSNBC’s brand is “people either talking calmly or yelling at you, or each other, about politics.” These weren’t stories that made people think, “What does Chris Matthews have to say?” (Another problem: During huge stories, like the Boston bombing and subsequent manhunt, MSNBC frequently finds itself in the odd position of competing with its own sister network, when NBC News takes over the broadcast network.)

Ironically, MSNBC was alone among its cable news competitors in getting the Boston manhunt story right, a good deed for which they appear to be being punished. Fox News, meanwhile, has been carb-loading like Jabba the Hutt with ringworm on the three-headed Scandalabra™, and bloating its endlessly voracious audience in the process.

Continue here…

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March 14, 2013 · 3:40 PM

MSNBC’s Chris Hayes to replace Ed Schultz

MSNBC’s Chris Hayes

Personally, I’m quite pleased with MSNBC’s programming decision…

Politico

MSNBC’s Chris Hayes has been tapped to replace outgoing host Ed Schultz in the 8 p.m. weeknight slot, according to network sources.

In just a year and a half, Hayes has generated a cult following as host of the weekend program “Up with Chris Hayes,” which takes a progressive policy wonk’s approach to the news. He will now host a show directly ahead of his mentor Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s marquee name, and, at age 34, will be the youngest primetime host in cable news television.

The move, first reported by Brian Stelter of the New York Times, was confirmed by sources for POLITICO. MSNBC is expected to make a formal announcement later today, and would not reply to a request for comment.

Schultz announced on Wednesday night hat he would be ending his weeknight program and moving to a two-hour slot on Saturday and Sunday evenings. Schultz, a talk radio personality, has served as an MSNBC primetime host since 2009, and became best-known as an advocate for unions, labor and the middle class. His new show will air on weekend nights from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. — a relative no-man’s land for cable news programming.

Like former MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan, Schultz suggested that the move was his choice and that he wanted “to get out with the people and tell their stories.” Sources at MSNBC told POLITICO that Schultz was more likely pushed out to make way for new — and younger — talent. By tapping Hayes, MSNBC is continuing its push to bring cable news to a younger demographic.

Hayes has long been seen as a primetime host-in-waiting at MSNBC, given his rapid success, though in Nov. 2012 he told POLITICO he’d be “reluctant” to give up the freedom and autonomy that comes with hosting a two-hour weekend show.

Hayes’ replacement on Saturday and Sunday mornings has yet to be named. Sources had long speculated that Ezra Klein might get Schultz’s primetime spot, so it is conceivable that he could take over on weekend mornings.

UPDATE (10:00 a.m.): And now it’s official.

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· 6:45 AM

Mystery man behind ’47 percent’ video revealed

prouty

Scott Prouty

Get ready for the far-right’s all out assault on Scott Prouty…

The Raw Story

The curtain has been lifted.

The man who secretly filmed then-presidential candidate Mitt Romney telling a private audience that “47 percent” of voters would vote for President Obama “no matter what,” outed himself Wednesday night during an hour-long segment on “The Ed Show.”

Scott Prouty, a bartender who was working Romney’s private meeting with major contributors at a Boca Raton, Fla. fundraiser, told Ed Schultz, “I was behind this whole thing.”

”I didn’t go there with a grudge against Romney,” said Prouty. “… I really had no idea he would say what he said.”

The “47 percent” remark is considered — even by Romney himself — to have been a major blow to the campaign. Prouty said he remained anonymous in the aftermath of the comment  because he didn’t want to distract from the video itself.

“I wanted Mitt Romney’s words, and Mitt Romney’s words only” to be the news story, said Prouty.

According to the Washington Post, Prouty said he expects “to be torn apart by the right-wing media,” now that he’s come forward.

Watch a segment of the interview below:

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December 5, 2012 · 1:19 AM

MSNBC Hosts Visit Obama

In case folks of a different political ideology see the MSNBC anchors’ visit to the White House as confirmation of  the fabled “Left Wing Conspiracy” theory, please be assured that President George W. Bush did the same thing with Fox News and right wing talk show personalities during his eight years in The White House…

Buzz Feed

Ed Schultz, Rachel Maddow, Al Sharpton, and Lawrence O’Donnell all spotted entering the West Wing.

MSNBC’s prime time line-up was spotted entering the West Wing Tuesday afternoon for what host Ed Schultz tweeted was a meeting with President Barack Obama.

White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest released the following statement on the meeting:

“This afternoon at the White House, the President met with influential progressives to talk about the importance of preventing a tax increase on middle class families, strengthening our economy and adopting a balanced approach to deficit reduction.”

 

On my way to DC to visit with the President on fiscal cliff…Nancy Pelosi joins me tonight on the Ed Show..

Just outside the Press office at the White House… t.co/rmrQtAuJ

 

So… in the last hour, I watched Rachel Maddow, Al Sharpton and Lawrence O’Donnell all walk into the West Wing. MSNBC love fest?

Maddow, heading into West Wing, said she was here for a “hippie cabal.” Asked if I was coming. NO, DAMN IT, I WASN’T INVITED.

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September 20, 2012 · 5:58 AM

Romney’s 47% Fiasco Fuels MSNBC Ratings Rout For Rachel Maddow

Rachel Maddow

I watch Rachel Maddow every day.  In fact I wouldn’t miss her show for all the tea in China!  So this is great news.  Rachel is not a gossip mongerer nor does she embellish the news to fit her or her company’s agenda.   She’s a natural born teacher of sorts and explains the news that she reports clearly and concisely.

This is no surprise when we all know if the news about Romney doesn’t fit their agenda, Fox News will embellish it or not report it at all.  People want facts, not propaganda.

The Daily Kos

Just like when the party conventions concluded and the DNC’s superior production boosted the audience for MSNBC’s primetime programming, the release of the crippling video of Mitt Romney dismissing half the nation as moochers  is having a positive effect on MSNBC as well.

On Monday, Rachel Maddow crushed Sean Hannity scoring 32% more viewers in the key advertiser demo of adults 25-54. Also, Chris Matthews’ Hardball beat Shepard Smith and Lawrence O’Donnell topped Greta Van Susteren.

Last night (Tuesday), Rachel again rolled over Hannity by an even larger margin (37%).  And O’Donnell continued his dominance of Van Susteren.  On both nights MSNBC took the total primetime time period from Fox News. These wins are significant in that they don’t occur very often.  What’s more, they are routing Fox’s perennial winners without any special programming along the lines of a convention or debate.  This is strictly news driven.

However, even more noteworthy is that Maddow’s demo numbers on Tuesday were the highest in all of the cable news primetime schedule.  She even bested Bill O’Reilly by 3% despite the fact that O’Reilly’s guest was Jon Stewart who ought to have drawn in the younger viewers that ordinarily shun O’Reilly. With his devoted older-skewing viewers, plus the kids from Stewart’s heavily promoted guest appearance, O’Reilly should have run away with the night.

Maddow’s decisive victory suggests that there is something brewing in the cable news game. Viewers are responding to the editorial content of MSNBC and its most dynamic presenters. It’s still way too soon to make definitive statements or projections, but the gathering trends are promising.

Now all MSNBC has to do is capitalize on the new attention they are receiving and bring in new talent. Ed Schultz, who has not been contributing to this upswing, may be due for a makeover or a co-host. And there’s no need to repeat Hardball in the early evening when a new show could could broaden the audience. My long-shot pick: I’d give former Rep. Anthony Weiner a shot. If Eliot Spitzer can get a show on Current, Weiner should have a second chance too. He’s smart, experienced, and entertaining. And the publicity would help bring in a curious audience.

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June 26, 2012 · 3:18 PM

‘Forget The Anger, Reason Is Back’ – Philadelphia Station Replaces Limbaugh

Now if only more major markets were this reasonable…

Addicting Info

Despite Rush Limbaugh’s futile attempt to convince his audience that his nine-hour hate rant on Sandra Fluke did not affect his ratings or sponsorship, the facts prove otherwise.

Limbaugh will no longer be heard on the CBS station in Philadelphia that has allowed him to spew his venom for the past twenty years. He has been replaced by Michael Smerconish with the intro “forget the anger, reason is back”

Score one for reason and morality.

As someone who has followed this Fluke/slut saga, I have seen and heard many who don’t like Limbaugh defend his right to free speech. In this case, he not only called Fluke names but he lied about the facts. The fact that he chose to spend three days obsessing about her on air is more than a little creepy, too.

Fluke went before Congress to ask that birth control be covered by insurance. Limbaugh whined that she said she was having so much sex she couldn’t afford it anymore and demanded free birth control. He lied. That’s not free speech. It’s slander.

The right is quick to bring up Bill Maher, David Letterman and Ed Schultz and while they are all guilty of bad jokes and name calling, they didn’t spend nine hours lying with the intention of misleading listeners. There’s a huge difference.

Most reports on the misogynist Limbaugh are about the hate and lies that come out of his mouth. It’s really nice to report that a major market is saying no to Limbaugh and his hate speech.

Buh-bye,Rush!

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June 5, 2012 · 12:37 PM

Wisconsin Voters Report Receiving Robocalls Telling Them Not To Vote

Scott Walker’s campaign must be running scared…

Think Progress

From Eau Claire to Beloit, voters across Wisconsin are relaying stories via Twitter, Facebook and online message boards about anonymous “robocalls” from allies of Scott Walker, telling them–incorrectly–that if they signed petitions to recall Governor Walker, their vote in today’s crucial election has been recorded.

An NBC reporter tweeted that a family friend was one recipient of the call:

Dad just emailed, a WI friend of his got the ‘If you signed the petition you don’t have to vote tomorrow’ robocall 

Tom Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee and the Democratic nominee to unseat Governor Scott Walker, told MSNBC host Ed Schultz last night that his campaign began receiving complaints yesterday that voters had been contacted with the misinformation. This morning, Salon reported on the robocalls too, and included comments from Carol Gibbons, a Wisconsin resident who got the call herself. And a local CBS affiliate is even reporting that the caller sounds eerily similar to Tom Barrett, suggesting the group behind the call may have hired a Barrett impersonator.

So far no recording of the call has surfaced, but the reports from voters was enough to prompt the Barrett campaign to make calls of its own, warning voters not to listen to the first call. For its part, the Walker campaign denied any involvement in or knowledge of the robocall or who was behind it.

Election day antics were a near certainty in Wisconsin. In the last week, reports of other campaign antics surfaced, including an attempt by Walker supporters to disable the Barrett campaign’s phone lines by flooding their call centers with spam phone calls.

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February 10, 2012 · 8:56 PM

Donald Trump Slams Lawrence O’Donnell: You’re A Poor Man’s Ed Schultz And Al Sharpton

Lawrence O’Donnell cannot stand Donald Trump and lets his audience know this as often as he can…

Mediaite

On Thursday, Donald Trump lit into MSNBC’sLawrence O’Donnell on Twitter, going on a lengthy tirade, mocking him that his show will soon be cancelled. “Lawrence O’Donnell will soon have another cancelled show to go along with his three cancelled TV series, “Mister Sterling”, “The Kill Point” and “First Monday”,” Trump tweeted.

RELATED: Lawrence O’Donnell Breaks It To Donald Trump: ‘Romney Knows’ He Is ‘America’s Biggest Loser’

“@lawrence is a poor man’s Ed Schultz (who replaced @Lawrence) and Al Sharpton,” Trump continued. “He was moved to 10PM due to bad ratings and taken off Friday due to being totally irrelevant. He desperately needs to keep making up false statements about me to get attention. Without clips of me, his show would be completely dead and he knows it. As I have said many times before @Lawrence is the dumbest man on television. He is only angry because I would never have wasted my time doing his completely irrelevant show.”

O’Donnell responded humorously that The Donald was wrong:


(h/t HuffPo)

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May 25, 2011 · 10:28 PM

Ed Schultz To Take Unpaid Leave From MSNBC Following Laura Ingraham ‘Slut’ Comment

I’ve often worried about Ed Schultz going “over the top” with his critique of right-wing policies and right wingers in general. 

However, I’m still surprised to hear that MSNBC has suspended Schultz for just that, going over the top in criticizing Laura Ingraham on his radio show for complaining about the POTUS  drinking beer in Ireland while Joplin, MO. was being destroyed by multiple tornadoes.

The Huffington Post

Ed Schultz will take one week of unpaid leave from MSNBC following his controversial comments about Laura Ingraham.

On his radio show Tuesday, Schultz called Ingraham a “right-wing slut.“

Wednesday evening, the network released the following statement about the matter, saying “remarks of this nature are unacceptable and will not be tolerated”:

MSNBC management met with Ed Schultz this afternoon and accepted his offer to take one week of unpaid leave for the remarks he made yesterday on his radio program. Ed will address these remarks on his show tonight, and immediately following begin his leave. Remarks of this nature are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

It is not the first time Schultz’s fiery rhetoric has gotten him in hot water. Last summer, Schultz was reportedly chastised by MSNBC execs after threatening to “torch this place” if he was not included in network promos. In September, he was then reprimanded by the network after calling New Jersey Governor Chris Christie a “cold-hearted fat slob.”

Listen to Ed Schultz’ faux pas: 

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April 16, 2011 · 4:14 PM

Bill Maher, Ed Schultz & Michael Steele Have Shoutfest Debate On The Budget

The former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Mic...

Image via Wikipedia

Mediaite

When Real Time with Bill Maher’s staff booked both Ed Schultz and Michael Steeleto appear on the show tonight, everyone involved had to be salivating over the potential for the two to get into loud disagreements. And when the panel debated politicians’ relative honesty and proposed Medicare vouchers, the inevitable came to pass.

It started with a mention of the already-infamous Jon Kyl/Planned Parenthood controversy, which Maher called “American lying at its finest.” Faced with the unenviable task of rationalizing Kyl’s handiwork, Steele noted there are “hyperbolic statements on both sides,” specifically about Republicans’ supposed desire to watch old people “get sick and die.”

This, though, prompted a retort from Maher – if Republicans don’t want that, what to make of Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed Medicare voucher. At this point, things really started getting loud. There was Schultz yelling at Steele for mentioning President Barack Obama in the same breath as Kyl. There was Steele begging Schultz to “bring it down a notch.”

And there was Steele, when asked about what would happen to seniors who run out of Medicare voucher money:

“We don’t know yet.”

That one got quite the audience reaction, and Schultz clearly relished the chance to make an incredulous face. There was even a hint of a fistfight at one point, but Maher wasn’t too keen on the idea. Oh, and Amy Walter, political director for ABC News, was there also. Unfortunately for her, during the segment you’ll see below, she mostly functioned as Steele-Schultz buffer. (Which, come to think of it, was probably a key role.) Watch – and listen – via HBO.

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